Alcohol

Gina: This light-colored sangria, made with white wine, is as beautiful as it is refreshing and delicious. You can make and serve this drink immediately, but it’s even better if you can prepare it in advance, so the fruit flavors have a chance to permeate the wine.

Gina: When I’m hanging with my girlfriends and we want something strong and sweet, this smooth, sexy cocktail, flavored with chocolate, coffee, and banana, does the trick. A splash of espresso gives us the fuel to stay awake for another round.

What can I say, girlfriends? It is not uncommon for my husband to serve me mimosas, along with breakfast in bed, on a Sunday morning. You think he’s looking for something in return? I figure we work hard all week and he’s just treating me special. I tell you what, though: Nothing kicks off a lazy, loving Sunday like a sip of bubbles. We make these drinks one at a time, allowing the shifting strawberries to mix the drink as you sip, but you could also combine the ingredients in a large serving pitcher.

Gina: I love a little bit of whimsy, and what better time for that than when you are kicking back with your man enjoying a cocktail? I didn’t think Pat would be too keen on sipping a pink drink, so I made his bright blue. Both variations are potent and delish, so just pick the flavor (or color) that suits your mood (or matches your shoes or your handbag . . .).

Pat: It’s the last chapter of the book, right? Gina: It is. Pat: Our last chance to use barbecue sauce, right? Gina: Did we use it in the dessert chapter? Pat: I don’t think so. Gina: Well, okay, then. Neely’s Barbecue Sauce and your favorite spicy morning libation are a match made in heaven. Using robust vegetable juice like V8 (in place of tomato juice) helps balance out the flavor of the tangy sauce. To make a Virgin Mary, skip the vodka and add an extra squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice.

Gina: Nothing is as warm or as inviting as an old-fashioned baked apple. Our baked apples are even more inviting because we pack them with golden raisins, dried cranberries, and nuts, splashed with rum for extra goodness (or try Calvados, an apple-flavored liqueur from France, for a special twist). Serve these warm, fragrant little gems with a scoop of caramel or rum-raisin ice cream. In the unlikely event that you have a few left over, there’s nothing like a cold baked apple for breakfast, served in a pool of cold half-and-half. (Chances are your sweet-tooth husband is also on to this secret, so don’t be surprised if he beats you to the kitchen.)

Pat: The name of this decadent sundae speaks for itself. The recipe serves four, and makes a nostalgic dessert that will drive your dinner guests wild. But I’ll tell you something—when that silky sauce is sittin’ in the fridge, calling out my name, it serves one! I’ve already confessed my fondness for late-night desserts, and I can only think of one other thing I’d rather be doing in the middle of the night. Although you can use any roasted peanuts in this recipe, try to seek out Virginia nuts. They have a crispy snap all their own, and a peanut flavor that can’t be beat.

Gina: Oh boy. When I realized the importance of Strawberry Shortcut Cake to the Neely boys, I knew I had to get baking and learn this recipe! The first step was getting permission from Momma Neely to make the cake. Let’s just say baking the cake was the easy part! Momma Neely always brought this cake to our house on special occasions. Didn’t matter if the occasion was a birthday, a graduation, or a good report card. It got to the point where our girls would say, “I need to call Grandma Neely and tell her about my report card so she can bring me some shortcut cake.” I like to call it a shortcut cake because we use a boxed mix. But no one will ever be able to tell when you serve it.

Gina: Lord knows I love a hot, sizzling grilled sausage, but sausage served all by its lonesome is kind of like a basic dress without accessories, you know what I’m saying? A classic is always improved by a dash of color and a bit of sass. That’s why this dish is a nice change of pace—pork sausages are braised with an array of peppers (in assorted colors and heat levels), onions, beer, and mustard. The resulting sausages and piquant braising liquid are especially good served atop steamed rice, grilled Italian bread, or creamy grits made with cheese.

Pat: There is nothing like the smell of a pot roast cooking in the oven. My mother made a mean pot roast; her secret was using dried Italian seasoning on the meat, and it’s a technique I’ve incorporated into this recipe. The flavors of the dressing really permeate and tenderize the roast. A well-seasoned cast-iron Dutch oven (or an enamel-coated Dutch oven) is our favorite cooking vessel for this roast. Here we call for a boneless chuck roast, because the well-marbled cut keeps plenty moist, but you can also use a 4- to 6-pound bone-in roast (you’ll need to cook it for another 45 minutes). Gina: Ladies, this is also a great dish to make when your schedule is tight. You can sear the meat, then throw it and the remaining ingredients into a slow cooker and head off to work. Make some cornbread when you get home, and it’s a wrap.

Pat: My brothers and I have always been good eaters. As you can imagine, this meant a lot of work for our momma—feeding five hungry boys was no easy task. We all played football, and would come home after practice absolutely ravenous, ready to eat everything in the house. Lucky for us, she specialized in hearty dishes like spaghetti, lasagna, pot roast—and this rich stew. Packed with vegetables, tender beef, and a savory broth, it managed to satisfy my brothers and me . . . at least for a few hours. When the first fall chill sets in, I find myself drawn back to Momma’s cooking, so this stew remains a Neely staple (these days, however, we make it with more red wine). It’s a great weekend recipe, when you’ve planned a day of projects around the house, because it requires only a bit of up-front work—then you get to enjoy the intoxicating smell of the stew as it simmers. Although I live in a home with three girls, don’t be fooled: They hold their own when it comes to projects and this stew (they can polish off plenty of both). As Gina says, “Everyone has an inner pig that needs to be set free once in a while.”

Pat: Texas style chili is all about beef, but since Memphis is all about the pigs, we give our pot a little love by adding ground pork as well. The combination of the two meats is, well, paradise for a guy like me, and it gives this chili a robust flavor and satisfying depth. Plenty of garlic, pure ground chile powder, and a bottle of beer make this one kicking combination. We call for kidney beans, but you can use black beans instead. A dollop of sour cream helps cool the fire.

Pat: Bisques are the most luxurious soups around. With a base of cream and seafood and brandy, they have a way of filling you and sating your appetite. This recipe is an easy, satisfying version of a dish that usually takes much longer to prepare. A quickie homemade shrimp stock provides an essential depth of flavor. And though the small amount of rice might seem unusual, it helps thicken the soup.

Gina: This appetizer is a signature dish at beach bars throughout Mexico (where Pat and I often retreat for some serious R & R) and the Caribbean. It tastes like a tropical vacation. Large, sweet shrimp are dipped in coconut, fried until crisp, and then paired with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. Honey, pass the frozen blender drinks, because I am so there—dipping my feet in the sand.

Gina: Girl, my favorite nut is the pecan! It is the all-American nut, and once you mix in cashews, you’ve got somethin’ rocking. I serve this dangerously addictive appetizer at my “Girl Power” get-togethers because it’s great with drinks (and because we ladies deserve a special treat). The combination of dark rum and soy sauce gives these nuts their exotic flavor. For a true island feel, and a little kick, use a hot sauce made from Scotch bonnet peppers.

In this recipe, I prepare the zuppa inglese almost as you would a layer cake. Although the method is fairly easy, you may want to try the following more traditional and even easier way the first time you make it. Prepare all the components as described below, but assemble them thus: Line a 13 × 7–inch ceramic or glass serving dish with one layer of sponge cake, cut side up. Brush and fill the layers as described below, finishing with a layer of whipped cream over the top layer of cake. Chill and decorate as described below. To serve, spoon the zuppa inglese from the dish, passing any remaining whipped cream and pastry-cream sauce separately.